Panel construction and assembly



Jan. 13, 1959 R. G. CUDlNl 2,367,856

PANEL CONSTRUCTIONAND ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 11, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 13, 1959 R. G CUDINI PANEL CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1955 INVENTOR.

v I I I I I I I! lAJf/lllfdllllfllJ/ll V Jan. 13, 1959 R. G. CUDlNl PANEL CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 1 1. 1955 INVENTOR. fiq ye 7' 6 6x112???" BY iiti 2,867,856 PANEL CONSTRUCTION AND AssnMnLv Roger G. Cudini, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to Moynahan Bronze Company, a corporation of Michigan Application October 11, 1955, Serial No. 539,757

' 3 Claims. (or. 20-11 The present invention relates to improvements in buildmg constructions and particularly relates to improved frame constructions to facilitate the assembly of the various functionally different metal frame elements required in such building constructions.

It is desirable in building constructions employing metal frame elements, and particularly aluminum frame elements, to standardize on the cross-sectional shapes of the extrusions employed in such frames to thereby simplify and cifect economies in the manufacture of such sections. B y employing different adapter elements, a standard frame section may be employed to serve a number of functionally diiferent purposes. may be employed to define an opening which, by the use of one type of adapter, may be employed to define a door opening and, with a different adapter, may be employed to define a window light opening.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide simplified sections adapted to receive therein any one of different adapter elements to thereby accomplish numerous uses for a single sectional extrusion.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an adapter for attaching elements of an assembly whereby the elements are mounted in the assembly and remain therein under a substantially constant pressure regardless of any expansion or contraction, and likened to a floating mount under constant pressure regardless of temperature change.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved manner of attaching adapter elements'to a frame section so that such adapter elements may be easily attached but, when in position, forma secure assembly.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawings relating thereto and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a partial, front elevational view of an aluminum entrance which embodies features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged stantially along the line of 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a broken, vertical, cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a separated, transverse, cross-sectional View of the construction shown in Fig. 3 and showing the adapter element as it is being assembled;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the adapter element separated, and

prior to its assembly;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the section shown within the circle 6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged partial view of the section shown within the circle 7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of construction and assembly; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged partial view of the section shown Within the circle 9 of Fig. 8.

cross-sectional view taken subassists Pa te nted Jan. 13,1959

- a 2 Referring to Fig. l, the entrance'comprises a door frame assembly generally indicated at 1',jwithin which a door 2 is pivotally mounted. ,The frame 1 also serves to sup- For example, a standard section port the side lights v The frame 1 includes a vertical jam element generally indicated at 4, which at one side defines the opening for the door 2, and at the other side defines the opening for the light 3. The frame element 4 is in the illustrated embodiment formed of an aluminum extrusion, and its shape is best shown in Fig. 2. As shown, the extrusion! is symmetrical inform, having opposite box-like sections 5 and 6 connected by an integral central web 7. The opposite sides of the extrusion 5 are formed to define outwardly opening channels having base portions 9 and outwardly sloping converging surfaces 10. The base 9 and the surface 10 define a pair'o'f facing grooves 11 in'each of the channels, and in this embodiment such facing grooves areidentical to each other.

The adapter elements 'mentioned above are "received within the grooves 11 and, in the embodiment illustrated in'Fig. 2 one of such adapters comprises a door jam element 12, andthe other represents a glazing strip '13.

The jam element .12 has aflat outer face so that, when it is positioned within the grooves 11, theface is substantially flush with the adjacent sides of the frame 43 7 extendingigroove 18 and flange 19 within which an.

elongated glazing strip 20 is snapped to in position in the final assembly. 1

The ends or edges of 'the adapter elements 12 and 13, which are received within the grooves 11, havesubstanti ally identical constructions, although the "remaining portions of such elements may be dilferent inconfiguration, depending upon the intended uses of such'elements.

The element 13 has one of its ends, indicated at 21, formed with a tapering outer surface complementary to the shape ofthe groove 11 defined by the bases 9 and 10, and having a corner groove 21'. The opposite end of the element 13 is formed with an outwardly'pr'ojecting groove 22 within which a bowed spring 23 is disposed. There are a plurality of such springs spaced along the hold the light 17 length of the elements'dand 13 as needed.- The ends of I 5 the bowed spring 23 engage within the base of the groove 22, and the-intermediate bowed portion is adapted to be tary tapered surface 10 of the groove 11. The action of I the spring 23 on the adjacent surface of the groove 11,

and the action of the contacting surfaces 21 and 10, will force the element 13 tightly within the grooves 11 and hold it in its assembled position.

Rather than assemble the element 13 as stated above,

it may also be assembled by first inserting the end 21 within the groove 11, and then, by employing a screw driver or other tool, the spring 23 may be compressed and snapped into its adjacent groove 11.

The ends of jam element 12 are formed in the same way as the end of the element 13, and have been given similar numerals to indicate the corresponding parts.'

0 The assembly is ,eflected as described above.

Referring to Fig. 8, a modified form of the adapter against which a' window light or other panel element 33 is positioned. The end of the light 13 maybe mounted within a U-shaped sealing; strip 34 ,andbe heldin position by the adjacent side of the glazing strip. 30.

i The frame member 31-is formed with a longitudinally extending channel 35 having an inwardly facing groove 36 formed-along one side, which is defined by the adjacent surfaceof .thechannel base and the inside surface of a flange 37,.which is parallelto the base of-the channel 35. Theoppositeedge of the channel is formed with a groove 38 which is v. defined by the adjacent base of the channel 135 and an outwardly-tapering wall 39; i

The strip 30 is formed with an outwardly directed flange 40 c-omplement aryin shape'to the I groove 36. On

the opposite .edge it is formed with ,1 a r evers el y turned edge 41, which slopes outwardly, compl e rne ntary; in shape to the taper 39 of the groove- 38. The flange 41 forms 0nd element having a pairof opposite edges removably received within said grooves, said second element being formed adjacent one of said edges with a groove, and a bowed spring received within said last-named groove and resiliently bearing against the adjacent converging edge of its adjacent groove in said first element to yieldably urge said second elementin the direction of said flange and maintain the edges of said second element within said grooves.

2. A frame assembly comprising a first frame element having a pair of facing-grooves formed in oppositeportions of one side thereof, with each of said grooves having a first surface and a-secondsloping surface arranged in a converging relation with the corresponding surface of the other one of said grooves'in a direction :toward said one side, a second frame element having a pair of opposite edges received in said grooves,-with one of said edges being formed with an outer inclined surface complernentary to the inclined surface on one ofsaid grooves and engageable therewith, means-on the other one of said edges engaged with the inclined surface 'of said other groove, and spring means positioned in said other i one of said grooves and engageable with said other edge a groove42 vwithin which a bowed spring 43 isreceived,

The bowedspring43 is similar to the spring 23 previously.

described, and is positioned with theends of the spring disposed within the groove -4 2 .and with the intermediate bowed portion-bearing against thentapering surface 39,

so that-it acts to urge the element 30 .in the directions of the arrows 44 and 45.

The groove 35 is similar to the groove 50 shown on the door 2 in ;Fig. 2, so that a light could be mounted within the door frameyin the same manner as illustrated 3 The element 30 is assembled generally in the same manner 'as the element described above in connection yvith Figs. 15,-in that theflange 40 may be positioned within the groove 36 and thje spring 43 snapped into the groove 38, as shown in Big. 6.

1 Formal changes may be made n ,the specific embodint of az pv n d scrib d wi hou -depa ti g f the spirit of the invention, the scope of Which is comrjnensulrate with the appended claims.

' What is claimed is: j

1. Ina window assembly, a' first frame element having an inwardly directed wflange, ,-a window light disposed against said flange, said first frame element having -an integral portion disposed at substantially a right angle to said flange, said integral portion -.having'a pair .of facing of. said second frame element for releasably maintaining said edges against said inclined groove surfaces.

3. In combination with a main frame member, a plurality of frame adaptor members interchangeably and releasably mountable on said main frame member, said main frame member being of an open constructionand having a pair of grooves formed in opposite portions thereof so that said grooves are in a facing relation, with one of said grooves being formed by a pair of angularly related surfaces one of which is'inclined outwardly of grooves formed therein,aone of .said .grooves having its outer .edge converge outwardly toward the other. groove,

.2. second :LeIement fixedly disposed .within said grooves said main frame memberrina direction toward the other one of said pairof grooves, each of said frame adaptor members having a pair of opposite edges receivable within said grooves, with one of said edges havinga portion thereof inclined for complementary engagement with the inclined surface of said one groove, and spring means received in the other one of said grooves for engagement with the other edge of a frameadaptor member for yieldably forcing said one edge thereof'into said one groove and 'maintaining'the inclined surfaces of said adaptor member and said one groove in engagement.

References litter in the .file of .this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 926,348 Miller June 29, 1909 2,258,973 Cross et al. Oct. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 261,298 Switzerland Aug. l, 1949 1,043,898 France Nov. 12, 1953 

